Community respite takes pressure off family carers

Support for family caregivers is helping Central Coast residents with dementia live well at home for longer.

For coast local Michael, tailored support services at home have helped him balance his role as fulltime carer for his mother Jennifer after his father became unwell.

Michael and his siblings had never considered extra support, but he says it wasn’t until their dad fell ill they realised the extent of care Jennifer required.

“I was working in Maroubra at the time when dad fell ill. He had toes amputated so his mobility was limited and he couldn’t get out to do any shopping and things like that,” Michael says.

“He was basically the one who took care of mum before I arrived.

“I was planning on coming up and spending six weeks with dad to get him mobile but unfortunately he died about three years ago now.

“It wasn’t until then that I became aware of the effects of mum’s dementia, because dad was sort of hiding that from us.”

Coming together as a family, Jennifer's children wanted to see what other care options were available for their mother and decided to try respite at a local aged care home, but decided it wasn’t for them.

“Initially, mum was on a Level 1 home care package which gave us a cleaner once a fortnight and a carer once or twice a week to give her a shower.

“We went along with that for a while and then we tried respite at an aged care home to see how it would go.

“It didn’t seem like the right place for mum so we knew we had to come up with a better solution.

“We brought her home and had a new assessment which showed mum needed more support, so she was granted a Level 4 package.

“We then upped the services with Bolton Clarke and that now includes three hours of respite three days a week.”

The added time each week is something Michael says has been a huge help for both him and his mum.

“It gives me time to just go do some things that I like to do – I sometimes got to the gym and do exercise, then I can do some shopping and mum doesn’t have to come out in the car, which can be tiring for her.

“Even though nine hours a week doesn’t sound like much, it’s enough to just clear your head out, go and do a few things and not have to worry.

“I’ve got someone qualified to care for her while I can go out and have a bit of time to myself.

“I couldn’t do it without the Bolton Clarke team – there’s no way!”

The Bolton Clarke Research Institute has been working to improve quality of life and health for informal carers through a number of initiatives, including the Partnership in iSupport Program providing online support and information for carers.

Bolton Clarke Research Institute Fellow Dr Claudia Meyer said: “People living with dementia often have specific care needs that are provided mostly by informal carers like family or friends.

“Carers can experience stress, poor health and poor quality of life, and can be left feeling socially isolated.

“Respite is important because it gives people a pause from these duties of caregiving.”

For more information about respite at home, call Bolton Clarke Wyong on 1300 655 444.